Thank goodness Brenden didn’t take the bus. He lived right in front of school, so he had the luxury of just crossing the street.

Erica was a panting, sweating mess as she boarded the bus. Megan had saved her a seat in the back, as usual. She laughed when she saw Erica.

“Did you oversleep again, Erica? Another long night studying?”

Erica sat down, holding up a finger to let Megan know she needed a minute to catch her breath. Then she said, “Actually, no. I kept texting back and forth with Lisa, and before that, with Brenden. When I told my mom that I was at the park with you and Lisa, I was really with Brenden.”

Megan squealed and demanded full details, which Erica happily provided. When she was done, Megan began scrambling furiously through her bag.

“Er, what are you doing, Megs?”

“Looking for my brush. We can’t let Brenden see you like this! Lucky for you, I always carry my cosmetic bag, too…”

By the time they arrived at school thirty minutes later, Erica’s hair was glossy and her makeup perfect.